Flue-cleaner.



J. WIEGH MANN.

FLUE CLEANER. APPLIUATIOI FILED IAY 19, 1906.

932,210. Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

,V j j A TTUHNE YS CIT uNrTED sTaTEs PATENT oEEroE.

JOHN WIECHHANN, 0F ALBANY, NEW YORK.

FLUE-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application eiedmay 19, 190s. serial Nyo. 433,696.

To all whom it' may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WIECHMANN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Fine-Cleaner, of which the following. is a full,'clear, and exact description.

rlhe invention relates to boiler ilue cleaners having a cutter head rotated by a turbine or a similar motor.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improred l'lue cleaner' arranged to thoroughly out the scale from the inside of the flue or tube by the use of a cutter head rotating with the turbine wheel, and provided with a cutter wheel mounted to rotate loosely on the end of a centrifugal swing arm, so that the center pin of the turbine wheel is relieved of undue strain and a proper cutting ot the cutter wheel is insured, without danger of breaking the cut-ter wheel or causing it to stick in the scale.

The invention consists ot novel features and parts and combinations of the same, which will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment ot the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification., in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the im roveinent, parts of the turbine and t-he ue or tube being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cutter head, the cutter wheel and pwart of the swing arm being shown in section; l* 1g. 3 1s a sectional side elevation of a cutter head ot modified form; and Fig. 4 is aside elevation of a cutter head of another modii'ied form. t

The cutter head A of theI boiler flue cleaner is rotated by a turbineB of any approved construction, preferably, however, suoli as is shown and described in the a plication for Letters Patent of the United) States, No. 370,866, tiled by me on April 29,- 1907. The cutter head A is provided with a body G having an annular flange or shoulder C from which extends centrally and rearwardly a screw C2 screwing centrally into the turbine wheel B mounted to turn in the forward end of a casing B2, connected at its rear end by a Yball and socket joint B3 with a coupling B4, to which is attached a hose B5 connected with `a fluid pressure supply, such as water under pressure, to cause the fluid under pressure to rotate the turbine wheel B and consequently the cutter head A.

On the body C of the cutter' head A is held the pivot pin D of a swing arm D, to the forward end of which is secured by a set screw E a spindle F on which is mounted to turn the cutter wheel G adapted to cut into the scale H on the inside of a flue or tube l, as indicated in 1. The cutter wheel G is provided with a semi-spherical body G, on the ,peripheral face of which are integrally formed longitudinally and radially extending cutter blades G2, following approximately the curvature of the outer face of the body G.

rl`he base of the cutter wheel Gris at the end of the swing arm D and the cutter Wheel is held against forward sliding on the spindle F by a head F formed on the outer end of the spindle F. Now when the cutter head A is rotated by the action of the turbine wheel B, then the arm D swingsoutward by its centrifugal force, thus causing the cutter wheel G to cut into the scale H, thus breaking up the scale as the cutter head A is revolved inside of the iueor tube l. By having the cutter blades G2 arranged in the manner described, the scale is gradually engaged by the outer edges-of the blades G2 as the cutter head A advances in the tube l, and is rotated at the same time, and consequently the scale is completely cut up andy detached from the inner surface of the tube I and washed outward in advaneeof the flue cleanerby the discharge of the fluid under pressure leaving the turbine B.

The. centrifugal action of the swing arm D and the cutter G is refer-ably increased by the use of a weighted) arm J, provided at its forward end with a weight' J and mounted to swing at its rear end on a pivot pin J2 attached tothe body C of the cutter head A. The pivotal ends of the arms D and J are connected with each other by gear teeth D2, J3, so that the arms D and J swing outward or inward in -unison with each other. Thus the outward swinging motion of the swing arm D carryingthe cutter wheel G is aided by the outwardly-swinging Weighted arm to wheel G. Y

As shown in Fig. 3, the body K of the cutter head is provided with a shoulder K and a' 'screw thread K2 for screwing in the turbine wheel B', and on the said Ybody K is held a pivot pin li, on which theswing arm L is Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

l increase the centrifugal force of the cutter fulcrumed, the swing arm being provided at its free end with a spindle N, on which the cutter wheel O is mounted to rotate freely, the cutter wheel being the same in construction as the cutter wheel Gvabove described. On the body K is integrally formed a weighted arm P having a lug P for engagement by a stop lug L2 held on the pivotal end of the swing arm L, to limit the outward swinging motion of the swing arm4 L. The weighted arm P adds weight to the cutter head to increase the momentum.

In the modified form illustrated in Fig. 4, the cutter head is provided with a body Q having the shoulder Q and the screw thread Q2 screwing into the turbine wheel B, and on the said body Q is held a pivot pin R for an arm S carrying a pivot pin T at right angles to the pivot pin It and on which the swing arm T is mounted to swing. (ln the free end of the swing arm T is arranged a spindle U, on which the cutter wheel V is mounted to turn, the said cutter wheel V being similar in construction to the cutter wheels G and O above mentioned. Now by the arrangement described and shown in Fig. 4, the swing arm T has a universal joint connection with the body Q, to allow free outward swinging of the swing arm I whenever the cutter head A is rotated and advanced in the tube, for cutting the scale.

The cutter head shown in Fig. 4 is more especially designed for use in flues or tubes of three inches and less in diameter, while the cutter heads shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are more especially designed for use in flues or tubes of more than three inches in diameter.

The turbine wheel B is mounted to turn on the pin B0 held centrally in the casing B2 of the turbine B', and by providing the cutter head A with the centrifugal counter-balancing arms J or P or the .universal joint shown in Fig. 4, the said central pin B is relieved of undue strain, and as the cutter wheel G, O or V is mounted to rotate loosely on the free end of the corresponding swing arm D, L or T and the cutter Wheel is provided with the cutting blades as described, the cutter wheel is not liable to stick in the scale H and it effectively cuts the scale, to thoroughly clean the tube or flue. y

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A flue cleaner having a revolublc cutter head, comprising a body, a cutter arm fulcrumed 0n the body, a cutter wheel mounted to turn freely on the free end of the arm, and a weighted arm carried by the body, -the weighted arm and the pivoted arm having members engaging with each other.

2. A flue cleaner having a revoluble cutter head, comprising a body, a cutter arm fulcrumed on the said body, a cutter wheel mounted to turn freely on the free end of the said arm, and a weighted arm pivotally mounted on the body independently of the cutter carrying arm and connected with said arm to swing in unison therewith for increasing the centrifugal force of the arm and cutter wheel.

3. A flue cleaner having a revoluble cutter head, comprising a body, a cutter arm fulerumed on the said body, a cutter wheel mounted to turn freely on the free end of the said cutter arm, a weighted arm fulcrumed on'the said body, and a gearing connecting the said cutter wheel arm and the said weighted arm with each other.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 1

JOHN VIECHMANN.

Witnessesz JOHN THOMSON, JOHN H. KOREMAN. 

